Old Kenmore started draining while agitating

Hi - I'm the gal that replaced a plunger on a wigwag a couple months ago. Had a brief problem with it draining while agitating, but then it corrected itself and was working fine till a couple days ago, when it began doing it again. Not sure what position the lever on the water pump is supposed to be in for which cycle. What should I be looking for?

Check the wires going to the wig-wag. Look for cracks or breaks. Also, check the wig wag coils if you have a meter.

Nick

" Giving numerical data to Sears management is like giving a monkey a machine gun. No one knows for certain what will happen, but you can be sure of two things... It will be real messy, and only the monkey will be unharmed"

If it is draining while agitating your pump flapper is not closing, need to pull the pump and take a look at the flapper action or see if something is holding the flapper open. Make sure the pump lever is in the cut out in the cam bar also. The lever could be bent down and sliding under the cam bar.

The right side cam bar from the rear shifts the tranny into agitate and shifts the pump lever, closing the flapper inside of the pump. Either the pump lever is not in the cut out in the bottom of the cam bar or the flapper is broken inside of the pump or something is keeping the flapper from closing inside of the pump. If you are referring to the stirrup is bent on the top of the cam bar on the right side the cam bar might not be shifting all of the way to fully close the water pump flapper also....the cam bar will shift the tranny back into neutral at the end of the wash cycle and shift the pump lever to open the pump flapper fro drain......not understanding what you are seeing that is bent.

Oh, it's the pump lever - you had mentioned previously that it could be bent and not fitting properly intothe cut-out of the cam bar. The cam bar looks straight - it's the shift lever on the pump that seems to be bent slightly down and just barely fitting into the cut-out on the cam bar.

Actually, I think the lever is making contact with the cut-out because the machine was working fine for about 3 weeks. I got behind it tonite and watched really closely while changing cycles. The cam bar that operates the water pump is not shifting. The plunger does not seem to be pulling up to engage the other part of the slot pushing the cam bar to move the lever.

I've tried taking the wire contacts off and inspecting them and pushing them back on securely. The wires don't appear frayed. I don't know how to check them any further.

Actually, I think the lever is making contact with the cut-out because the machine was working fine for about 3 weeks. I got behind it tonite and watched really closely while changing cycles. The cam bar that operates the water pump is not shifting. The plunger does not seem to be pulling up to engage the other part of the slot pushing the cam bar to move the lever.

I've tried taking the wire contacts off and inspecting them and pushing them back on securely. The wires don't appear frayed. I don't know how to check them any further.

If you never see the right side, (looking in from back, yellow wire), plunger move up after the machine stops filling and goes to agitate mode then the machine can't be agitating.

Again, Garbage in- Garbage out, you told us it is draining while agitaging. do you really mean that it starts draining immediately after full when it should be agitating.

If that what you really mean then most likely you have a bad wig-wag (control magnet assembly). To verify this you would need to use a test meter to see if you have 120volts to the white and yellow wire when the machine goes into agitate or check the continuity of the right side coil.

I would just replace the wig-wag (control magnet) and the wires. If you don't have what you need to do voltage or resistence checks.

Pegi...

Do you know the part number for the whirlpool wire kit for the wig-wag?

" Giving numerical data to Sears management is like giving a monkey a machine gun. No one knows for certain what will happen, but you can be sure of two things... It will be real messy, and only the monkey will be unharmed"

Did not know there was a wire kit, we just spliced wire from the lid switch or wherever and was good to go.....make a test cord with 1/4 " spade terminals and go direct to the right side of the control magnet to see if it will pull the stirrup up.....if it does not replace the control magnet....if it does check your wires back to see where you are losing voltage....could go all of the way back to the timer, but that would not be normal, the wires usually break inside the insulation right there where they go thru the top of the CM so we splice in right there by the base plate. We save lots of wires with terminals when stripping stuff out so did not need a wire repair kit.

I'll see if I can find the wire kit number. It was nice because it was real good wire with the original colors and terminals. You cut out the old wire clear back to the motor, it made a real good lasting repair.

Nick

" Giving numerical data to Sears management is like giving a monkey a machine gun. No one knows for certain what will happen, but you can be sure of two things... It will be real messy, and only the monkey will be unharmed"

Wow, lots of response about wiring! Responding to Budget Appliance Repair's 2:11 pm post on Sept 14 - the machine IS agitating. It fills, then begins agitating with the wigwag moving back and forth and the right plunger following along in the right cam bar. In the meantime, during the agitation cycle, the water is also draining. When the agitation stops, there is another cycle shift to the spin cycle. At no time does the right cam bar move shifting the water pump level. My (grasshopper-like) guess is that the water pump may be fine (we don't know for sure because it never gets touched really, it is stuck in drain position) but I do know that the cam bar is not shifting when it is supposed to close the water pump. Perhaps it is related to the wires? Keep in mind that it did this for a short time after I replaced the left plunger, then corrected itself on its own and has worked fine for several weeks. Maybe a short? How do I rule this out? I do not have an ohm meter.

That makes sense.......I've never checked up top during the spin cycle to see if it is still agitating...I've always been behind the washer watching the 'workings' and reaching up to turn the knob to move it thru the cycles.

OK - I found some solid info. I followed some forum links to the msn appliantology group where all the photos and diagrams are listed. The diagram for a Kenmore belt drive wigwag was real helpful.

I can definately verify that the solenoid must not be engaging because it never pulls up. It stays in its 'gravity-controlled' position which keeps the pump in drain mode, rather than re-circulate. Is there a way I can check the solenoid/wires without an ohm meter? Or should I just strip the wires back and splice new wire into the connectors? I think I have some splicing connectors.

Then you are not agitating either, you are filling and draining, never shifting into agitate. Check the wires with an ohm meter, waste of time to repair wires without knowing what is or is not broken. Check that new control magnet also, we have had new ones go out in 2-3 months..